Method of Manufacturing Complex Shaped Component

Abstract

A method of forming a complex shaped part includes the steps of forming a polymer core by an additive manufacturing process. A metal is plated about surfaces of the polymer core, and the polymer core is removed, leaving hollows within a plate core. Metal powder is deposited within the hollows. An integral blade rotor is also disclosed.

1 . A method of forming a complex shaped part including the steps of:
 (a) forming a polymer core by an additive manufacturing process;   (b) plating a metal about surfaces of said polymer core;   (c) removing said polymer core leaving hollows within a plating core; and   (d) depositing metal powder within said hollows.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a consolidation step occurs after the depositing of the metal powder into the hollows. 
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the consolidation process is a hot isostatic pressurization process. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said plating metal is a nickel based material. 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said metal powder is also a nickel based material. 
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said complex shaped component is an integrally bladed rotor, and said integrally bladed rotor having a hub and radially outwardly extending airfoils with said hollows being formed in both said hub and said airfoils. 
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said plating occurs utilizing electroplating. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said polymer core is removed in a furnace. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said polymer core is melted, disintegrated or evaporated in said furnace. 
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said additive manufacturing process includes one of selective lithography analysis, selective laser sintering, fusion deposition of material or laminated object manufacturing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a computer model of the complex shaped component is utilized to control the additive manufacturing process to form the polymer core. 
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein dimensions of the polymer core are selected to be slightly smaller than dimensions of a desired final complex shaped part. 
     
     
         13 . An integrally bladed rotor comprising:
 a hub having an inner bore and an outer surface, and a plurality of airfoils extending radially outwardly of said outer surface, said airfoils and said hub having radially outer surfaces and axially outer surfaces formed of a relatively thin metal plate layer, and there being metal powder within hollows defined axially and radially inwardly of said plate layer.   
     
     
         14 . The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said plate layer is a nickel based material. 
     
     
         15 . The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said metal powder is a nickel based material.